Balkasar Bear Sanctuary Opens in Pakistan

Balkasar Bear Sanctuary Opens in Pakistan

[Ed. Note: Bear Baiting: A bear will be tethered to a rope 2–5 meters long in
the center of an arena to prevent escape. Bears’ canine teeth are often removed
and their claws may be filed down giving them less advantage over the dogs. Each
fight lasts around three minutes. If the dogs pull the bear to the ground they
are said to win the fight. Bears usually have to undergo several fights during
each day's events.]

November 2010

A new sanctuary to house Pakistan’s
remaining baiting bears has now officially opened.

Its first inhabitants, the three bears rescued from the country’s devastating
floods, are already there.

Balkasar Sanctuary is located in a relatively dry area of Pakistan’s Punjab
region, an area that was spared from the floods in August. It will provide a
refuge for the remaining Asian black bears that are still being used in bear
baiting, a cruel and illegal blood sport. Since the floods destroyed Kund Park,
Pakistan’s only other refuge for baiting bears, Balkasar has assumed an even
greater importance.

Seven hectares of natural habitat

Covering an area of seven hectares, Balkasar is set away from flood plains
and close to the capital, Islamabad. It was chosen for the many natural aspects
of bears’ habitat that it provides and it was the best habitat that WSPA and
Biodiversity Resource Centre (BRC), our Pakistani member organization, could
find.

“It provides space for all the remaining bear baiting bears in Pakistan and
is a model project to present to wildlife authorities showing how bears in
captivity should be managed,” says Dr. Fakhar-i-Abbas, BRC Chief Executive.

A new beginning

The opening of Balkasar demonstrates the dedication and commitment of the
Kund Park BRC team and staff who, like so many Pakistanis, despite losing their
homes and possessions have remained committed to the cause. Many staff and their
families have moved to Balkasar, taking up positions alongside local community
members. They are rebuilding their lives and the lives of the bears in their
care.

It has been the dedication of the BRC staff that has enabled Balkasar to be
opened at this time. With WSPA support, by the end of 2010, they plan to rescue
three more bears from a life of attack by dogs and bring them to the sanctuary
to live out their lives in its natural and peaceful environment.

Rescuing bears from baiting is a lengthy and complicated process. It involves
many negotiations with the bear’s owner to identify and then construct a viable
alternative livelihood for them. After persuading an owner to surrender their
bear, BRC then provides training for setting up and running the new business.

Balkasar offers hope and a means with which to end bear baiting in Pakistan.

Fair Use Notice: This document may contain copyrighted material whose use has
not been specifically authorized by the copyright owners. We believe that this
not-for-profit, educational use on the Web constitutes a fair use of the
copyrighted material (as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law).
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go
beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.